The first two kits, Windowsill Garden/Microgreens and Paper Crafts, have been released.

And the next three kits, Audio Storytelling, Digital Photography and Digital Movie Making, will be released soon.

These kits have been well received, and I’m pleased with the ability to use them without necessarily having attended a workshop. Living in a place where access to services such as workshops or even libraries is limited and working with rural policy and issues of access, this is valuable.

I’m currently thinking about ways that this work could be spread to a larger audience. If you see an application of kits like this in your area, let me know.

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I’m in the midst of writing a grant for a new project that I’m really excited about. It’s for a local, cross-generational maker project based at our library.

Here’s a brief description:

Let’s Make: Creativity in a Box!

The goal of this project is to develop a series of “maker” activities and events that empower learners to be at the center of their own learning and to develop critical thinking, collaboration, communication, design thinking, self-direction, and academic mindset skills.

Funds will be used to develop a series of maker activities; to purchase maker supplies; to host a series of maker day events with partners; to develop maker activity boxes that can be checked out; and to create and host an online collection of maker activities on a community collaboration site.

Community members will benefit through the application of these skills to a variety of academic and professional pursuits, as well as the fostering of a cross-generational learning community.

I couldn’t be more excited. A few things I really love about this project are that it is local (a goal of mine has been to do some work like this in my own area, instead of having to fly somewhere to do it); it invites folks of all ages to participate; and I think it is sustainable.

At the core of this project are a series of “creativity in a box” maker kits that can be checked out from the library. These could include things like paper circuitry, windowsill gardens, digital movie making, brush bots, and more — with all the materials included.

This will be supplemented by a series of face-to-face workshops, some at schools and others at the library and with other community partners. The project will also have an online community component that anyone can participate in free of charge.

I hope this project will be a launching pad for other similar work. I’ll share more as it develops.

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